British expats in the UAE are being urged to stay put during the summer holidays.

Thousands of British expat professionals living and working in the UAE along with their families normally return to the UK during the summer period in order to catch up with relatives and friends back at home. It’s an annual ritual which seems to be the worst idea ever now that the coronavirus pandemic has taken hold in both the UK and the Gulf States.

Doctors in Dubai are urging foreigners to stay put to avoid spreading the virus either in the UAE or in the UK. Britain and a number of other EU member states are fast becoming the front line in the war against the virus, with social distancing now considered the best weapon. In addition, those who left might well not be allowed to return should quarantine for international arrivals become the norm in the region.

The necessity of family quarantine should even one member be suspected of carrying the infection is taking hold across the world as well as in the UK, with the British prime minister now urging citizens to work from home if possible as well as avoiding restaurants and pubs. The UAE has far fewer recorded cases, with its rulers doing all they can to slow down the advance of the virus, with containment seemingly having positive results. However, expat parents preparing to stay put during the searingly hot Emirati summers are concerned about its effect on their children.